Air compressor



(N Model.)

2 Sheets--Sheet 1f L.`M. SHAW. AIR COMPRESSOR.

N0. 552,590. Patented Jan. '7, 1896.

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L. M, SHAW.l AIR COMPRESSOR.

No. 552,590. l Patented Jan. `'7, 1896.

lINiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEVI M. SIIAV, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY C. STAVER, OF SAME PLACE.

AIR-COMPRESSOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,590, dated January 7, 1896.

Application filed April 3,1895. Serial No. 544,276. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEVI M. SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing in Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Compressors, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shaft-supporting devices. Fig. 3 is a longitndinal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 isV an end view of one of the air-chambers and pistons, showing the inlet and outlet ports. Fig. 5 is a crosssection on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

My invention relates to airscompressors, and particularly to compressors of that class in which the compression is produced by the action of an oscillatory piston formed of a flange and a ball, the flange being adapted to roll against the walls of the steam-chest, and also to traverse the steam-chest in straight lines, substantially as described in myformer patent, No. 455,061, for a piston-engine, dated June 30, 1391. l

My present invention has for its obj ect to provide certain improvements in compressors of the class above referred to; and it consists in the various parts and combination of parts hereinafter pointed out.

That which I regard as new will be set forth in the claims.

In the drawings, 6 indicates the base of the machine, from which arise standards 7 8 9.

indicates a cylindrical casing, which is supported by the standards 8 9 and incloses the following parts of the mechanism: At the ends of the casing 10 are bars 11 12, in which are fitted journals 13 14 of a casing or frame 15, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Secured to the frame 15 is a gear-wheel 16, which meshes with a pinion 17 mounted upon a shaft 1S, preferably arranged under the casing 10, as shown in Fig. 1. The shaft 1S is journaled in suitable bearings 19 20, and is preferably provided with a pulley 21, which may be rot-ated. By this construction by rotating the shaft 1S the frame 15 may be caused to rotate in its bearings.

22 23 indicate shafts, which are supported by the frame l5 in an inclined position, as

` shown in Fig. 1, said shafts being supported upon blocks 24 25 respectively which bear against each other, as shown in Fig. 1. At the ends of the blocks 24 25 are provided rings 26 27, which confine the ends of the shafts 22 23. The confining-rings 26 27 serve to bind the two shafts together, and thereby prevent them from moving independently, the object of which construction is to counteract the tendency of the pistons to jar when passing their respective abutments, which has been an important defect in this class of machines as heretofore constructed.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the faces of the blocks 24 25 which bear against each other are inclined, making them Wedgeshaped, so that by moving said blocks in one direction or the other they may be tightened or loosened,

when tightened the shafts being forced outward against the rings 26 27.

For the purpose of holding the blocks 24 25 in position a bolt 28 is provided, which car` ries a wedgesshaped nut 29 fitted between a lug 30, projecting from the block 25, and the adjacent portion of the block 24, the arrange! ment being such that by moving the nut in one direction or the other by turning the bolt the blocks 24 25 may be tightened or loosened for the purposes above stated. The bolt 28 is locked by a plate 31 which fits into notches 32 in the head of the bolt, and is secured to theframe 15, as shown in Fig. 3. In order further to prevent longitudinal movement of the shafts 22 23, the frame 15 is provided at the end of each of said shafts with lugs 34, as

best shown in Fig. 1.

35 36 indicate compression-chambers which are arranged at the end of the casing 10, in which chambers are arranged pistons 37 3S respectively. The piston 37 consists of a ball 39, arranged between suitable bearing-blocks 40, and an annular flange 41 arranged in the compression-chamber 35, as shown in Fig. 1. The piston 38 also consists of a ball 42 arranged between bearing-blocks 43 and provided with a flange 44 arranged in the compressionschamber 36. One end of the shaft 22 projects into and is keyed in the ball 42, and one end of the shaft 23 is keyed into the ball 39, as shown in Fig. 1. The arrangement is such that when the frame 15 is rotated the IOO flanges of the pistons 37 38 will be caused to roll upon the walls of the respective compression-chambers and will move across such compression-chambers in straight lines, as described in my former patent above referred to. Air is admitted to the compression-chamber through a port 45, and is exhausted therefrom through a port 46, as shown in Fig. 6, 47 48 being inlet and outlet pipes respectively. The inlet and outlet ports are arranged in proximity to each other, b ut they are cut off from each other by an abutment 49, vas shown in Fig. 4, the abutment extending from the wall of the compression-chamber to and part way around the ball 39, as shown. In this Way air admitted through the port is forced around the compressionchamber 35 by the movement of the flange 41, and is exhausted through the port 4G. A similar arrangement is provided for the compression-chamber 36.

While the engine shown is intended for use as an air-compressor, the construction shown may be used for a steam-engine or for other purposes, and my invention therefore is not limited to air-compressors alone. In describing the engine I have used the terms applicable to compressors, but without intending to limit my invention to compressors.

That which I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an engine of the class described, the combination with compression chambers, and pistons therein, of two shafts arranged between said compression chambers for operating said pistons, a support journaled between said compression chambers and supporting said shafts, and means for rotating' said support, substantially as described.

2. In an engine of the class described, the combination with compression chambers, and pistons therein, of tWo shafts arranged between said compression chambers for operating said pistons, confining rings near the ends of said shafts, a support journaled between said compression chambers and supporting said shafts, and means for rotating said support, substantially as described.

3. The combination with compression chainbers, pistons arranged therein, and a support journaled between said compression chambers, of wedge blocks carried thereby, shafts 22*23 supported by said wedge blocks, means for confining said shafts, and means for rotating said frame, substantially as described.

4. The combination With compression chambers, pistons arranged therein, and a support journaled between said compression chambers, of wedge blocks carried thereby, shafts 22--23 supported by said Wedge blocks, means for confining said shafts, means for rotating said frame, and a wedge bolt between said wedge blocks, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

LEVI M. SHAW.

Witnesses:

JOHN L. JACKSON, A. I-I. ADAMS. 

